Air cap

Abstract

An air cap for keeping a spray nozzle with a flat spray clean is presented. The air cap contain the nozzle and has a slit for the spray from the nozzle, through which opening an air flow is flowing in the same direction as the flat spray from the nozzle. The air cap is divided into a back component comprising an internal thread, and a front component comprising the slit. The components are rotatable relative to one another.

1. An air cap for keeping a spray nozzle that produces a flat spray clean, said air cap comprising a single slit and an interior volume adapted to at least partially contain the nozzle, the air cap being adapted to allow the flat spray from the nozzle, and an air flow flowing in the same direction as the flat spray, to flow through the interior volume and the single slit of the air cap, wherein the air cap is divided into a back component, wherein the back component comprises an internal thread for holding the nozzle and a front component comprising the single slit, guiding portions, and at least one drainage hole, wherein the front component and the back component are rotatable relative to one another via sliding surfaces and wherein the guiding portions comprise flat guiding surfaces constructed to co-act with guiding surfaces on the nozzle to keep the single slit in the front component aligned with the flat spray from the nozzle by preventing the front component guiding surface from being rotatable relative to the nozzle guiding surface, wherein at least one air recess is provided in the internal thread of the back component as well as in the interior wall of the sliding surface, wherein the air recess comprises a slot in the interior wall of the back component that is the length of the back component. 
   
   
     2. The air cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the back component is provided with handles for manual tightening of the back component. 
   
   
     3. The air cap according to  claim 1 , wherein a flexible washer is used to provide a sealed fit between a spray beam and the back component. 
   
   
     4. The air cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the front and back components are connected by means of a snap connection comprising at least one shoulder on the front component and a circular shoulder on the back component. 
   
   
     5. The air cap according to  claim 1 , wherein the guiding portions comprise second drainage holes. 
   
   
     6. An air cap assembly for keeping a spray nozzle clean comprising: an air cap defining an interior volume, the air cap comprising, a front component having flat guiding surfaces and a single slit, a back component that is rotatably connected to the front component via sliding surfaces, and a drainage hole; a spray nozzle that produces a flat spray, the spray nozzle having flat guiding surfaces and being at least partially contained within the interior volume of the air cap; wherein the back component secures the air cap to the nozzle, wherein the back component comprises an internal thread for holding the nozzle and wherein the flat guiding surfaces of the front component co-act with the flat guiding surfaces on the nozzle to align the single slit with the flat spray from the nozzle and co-act to prevent the front component from rotating relative to the nozzle, wherein at least one air recess is provided in the internal thread of the back component as well as in the interior wall of the sliding surface, wherein the air recess comprises a slot in the interior wall of the back component that is the length of the back component.